It’s not just for camping; it’s got all the hookups you need for living.

Our Japanese-language reporter and outdoor enthusiast Saya Togashi recently attended Tokyo Camping Car Show 2024 in Tokyo, where state-of-the-art camper vans and more were on display. Most options looked like your average car-like camper, but one clearly stood out from the rest: the Roadie.

The Roadie is a trailer that looks just like a tiny house, with the concept of realizing the dream of living in the midst of nature. It’s produced by Japanese company Yadokari, who strive to offer alternative and minimalistic ways of living in Japan. It looks like a house, but it is technically a trailer to be pulled by a vehicle, as indicated by the license plate on the side.

As Japanese urban areas like Tokyo are known for their famously small apartments, it may not surprise you to learn that tiny houses are far and few between–barring notable mentions like Muji and Loft’s Mini Log House–and the options available are tiny to the extreme. The Roadie, however, provides just enough space for all amenities you need to live comfortably.

The inside looks like a sleek but cozy cabin, and it comes with a fully-functioning kitchen, living space, toilet, shower room. It even has a loft space!

The entryway has just enough space for a sofa and a small table, perfect for looking at the scenery just outside the glass doors.

There are clothing racks for storage, shelves, and drawers to store food and kitchen supplies.

And if you’re planning to park your tiny house somewhere that might be sweltering in summer, an air conditioner can be installed for an extra fee.

The compact kitchen is actually more spacious than many tiny Tokyo apartments, as it has enough room for a sink, small tabletop stove, and counter space.

This model room uses the loft space as a bedroom, but it’s also ideal for storing larger or seasonal items.

This doorway leads to a small handwashing sink, complete with a mirror for getting ready.

The toilet, along with the shower and sinks, are all designed to be hooked up to local water supplies.

One of Yadokari’s missions is to make it easier to live a lifestyle that’s not so controlled by money, place, or time. In other words, they want to make simple homes accessible and affordable.

If you’ve been scrolling to find the cost of this fully-functional tiny home, here it is: 7.98 million yen, or just about US$53,120. It runs arguably much cheaper than buying an entire condominium in Tokyo, which goes for about 100 million yen on average, and Saya even spotted some high-end camper vans that were in the same price range.

The only additional costs you’ll have to pay are furniture that’s not already included, shaken car inspection fees, and utility startup costs such as electricity and water. Besides that, the sky’s the limit!

Photos ©SoraNews24
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